How is tuberculosis (TB) treated?
ANSWER
Treatment for active TB disease can involve taking a number of medications for 6 to 12 months. It’s important to take all your meds, as they’re prescribed, the entire time -- even if you feel better. If not, you can get sick again.
If you have TB germs in your body but they haven’t become active, you have what doctors call “latent TB.” You can’t spread the disease to others. But your doctor may still recommend that you take medications to keep the germs from becoming active.
Reviewed by Jennifer Robinson on December 18, 2018
SOURCES:
CDC: “Tuberculosis: TB Facts.”
Mayo Clinic: “Tuberculosis Self-management.”
Minnesota Department of Health: “Home Respiratory Precautions for Patients with Potentially Infectious Tuberculosis.”
Vaccines.gov: “Tuberculosis (TB).”
SOURCES:
CDC: “Tuberculosis: TB Facts.”
Mayo Clinic: “Tuberculosis Self-management.”
Minnesota Department of Health: “Home Respiratory Precautions for Patients with Potentially Infectious Tuberculosis.”
Vaccines.gov: “Tuberculosis (TB).”
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